Kellogg's Corn Pops called 'racist'
No matter which side of the spectrum you sit on, it’s undeniable that we are living in politically tense times (which might be the understatement of the century).
Everything from snide comments, to political agendas, to hidden meanings are being questioned.
The food and beverage industry is no stranger to unsavory and distasteful (puns completely intended) advertisements and campaigns.
When an ad of that nature surfaces — be it in print, digital, television, even audio — the same forehead-slap-inducing sentiment can be felt round the world.
And time and time again, we’re left begging the same question: "Did nobody think to double check that?”
On the chopping block this time is Kellogg’s.
The cereal company was called out on Twitter by a marvel comic writer named Saladin Ahmed, when Ahmed noticed a glaringly obvious discrepancy between the janitor corn pop and the rest of the other pops depicted on a box of Corn Pops:
hey @KelloggsUS why is literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor? this is teaching kids racism. pic.twitter.com/Nh7M7IFawW
— Saladin Ahmed (@saladinahmed) October 24, 2017
Oh, boy.
The box depicts dozens of the same-colored pops jumping around and performing various activities — except working.
Ahmed then included a zoomed in image of the one working pop — a janitor — that is very clearly a different, darker color than the other pops.
Kellogg’s then quickly issued an apology over Twitter in response to Ahmed:
Kellogg is committed to diversity & inclusion. We did not intend to offend – we apologize. The artwork is updated & will be in stores soon.
— Kellogg's (@KelloggsUS) October 24, 2017
And though the cereal giant thought it had issued successful damage control, the Twitter-verse was not having it, praising Ahmed, Kellogg’s apology and also taking time to clap back at internet trolls claiming that NAME was overreacting:
A general rule of thumb to be learned here: If there’s any doubt that anything being published might come across as insensitive or racist, maybe, just, don’t do it?
Though we’ll never know whether or not the advertisement was intentional, it’s safe to say this illustration snap, crackled and popped right in Kellogg’s face — and not in a good way.
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